Also inside:
Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Plan to Win
Stop Talking about Talent
Whole-Body Vibration
Effects of a Heat Acclimation Protocol

www.sirc.ca

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HP SIRCuit FALL 2014

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Editorial
WELCOME,

Passion, determination and focus are the words that come to
mind when we think of success within our high performance
system. Our athletes, our coaches and certainly our support
teams demonstrate over and over, the true grit it takes to
win. Paul Dorotich’s video interview in this issue of the High
Performance SIRCuit with Robin McKeever and ParaNordic skiers Mark Arendz, Brian McKeever, and Chris
Klebl, captures valuable IST training insights as they relate
to psychology, strength training and physiotherapy from our
leading athletes that every coach should watch.

Whether it’s navigating terminology, training at our
finest facilities or continuing the research and learning,
this issue demonstrates the high performance strategy
in Canada is moving forward with intentionality.
Thank you for your continued suggestions and
contributions, the feedback has been fabulous. We
hope you enjoy the HP SIRCuit and look forward to
seeing you at the SPIN Conference in Montreal.

Debra Gassewitz
President & CEO
SIRC

Jon and Debra

A focused eye on the future is what Catherine GosselinDesprès, Executive Director, Sport, CPC, maintained as she
worked on aligning the sport department with the new high
performance strategic direction of the Canadian Paralympic
Committee. Her article truly captures a passion with purpose
for helping Canadian athletes to reach the podium.

Disclaimer: Author’s opinions expressed in the articles are
not necessarily those of SIRCuit, its publisher, the Editor,
or the Editorial Board. SIRC makes no representations or
warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness or
suitability for any purpose of the content.

Moving Forward with a Purpose: the Canadian
Paralympic Committee’s Plan to Win - Learn more
about CPC’s new strategic plan to move Paralympic
sport in Canada “Forward with a Purpose”, with a
focus on podium and high performance.

Robin McKeever, An
Insight into Para-Nordic
Olympic Preparation

A Pilot Study: The Effects of a Seven Day
Heat Acclimation Protocol on Plasma
Volume and Hemoglobin Mass in Female
Rugby Players

Whole-Body Vibration

Moving Forward with a Purpose: the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Plan to Win

4

A Pilot Study: The Combined Effects of a Seven Day Heat Acclimation Protocol on
Plasma Volume and Hemoglobin Mass in Female Rugby Players

6

Learn more about CPC’s new strategic plan to move Paralympic sport in Canada “Forward with a
Purpose”, with a focus on podium and high performance.

The primary aim of this pilot investigation was to assess plasma volume after a 7-day heat acclimation
protocol using CO-rebreathe technique to monitor changes in plasma volume and hemoglobin mass.

Canadian Sport Institute Calgary – A New Home for Canadian High Performance Sport

10

Improving How We Think About Talent: Step 1, Stop Talking About Talent.

Introducing the new Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, the first and only multi-sport training facility in
Canada dedicated to high performance sports.

This article challenges us to think about the word talent and how coaches, athletes, and parents interpret
its use and the expectations it evokes.
Robin McKeever discusses the strategies of the Para-Nordic ski program and the critical contribution of the
IST to high performance success.

Athlete-Coach Focus – Brian and Robin McKeever

Whole-Body Vibration

We take a look at what the research says about the application of whole-body vibration (WBV) for high
performance athletes in the areas of power, strength, and postural control, and as a recovery tool.

Catherine Gosselin-Desprès, Executive Director, Sport, Canadian Paralympic Committee
Since November
2013, Catherine
Gosselin–Despres
has been the
Executive
Director, Sport
with the Canadian
Paralympic
Committee. She
has been focused
on aligning the
sport department with the new strategic direction
of the CPC. Originally from Quebec City, she has a
Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology specialized in high
performance sport from Laval University which
she also completed through an exchange program
with the Université Libre de Bruxelles. She also
has a Masters degree in Sport Management from
University of Ottawa.

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t was no mean feat when Toronto
orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Jackson
succeeded in having almost 450
visually-impaired and amputee athletes
compete, for the first time, in the 1976
Olympiad for the Physically Disabled in
Toronto.

Now, four years after Canada’s stellar
success as both host and competitor at
the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter
Games – where Canada turned in a bestever finish with 19 medals, including 10
gold – the CPC is poised to usher in a new
era of Paralympic success in Canada.

Dr. Jackson’s ambitious plan for those
Games was a game-changer for the
Paralympic movement, as was the
pioneering work of Canadian Dr. Robert
Steadward, the founding president of
the International Paralympic Committee.
Government investment in the Canadian
Paralympic Committee and new sport
opportunities for people with a disability
continued to advance parasport in this
country.

We believe Canada can be the world’s
leading Paralympic nation by 2022.

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Our recently-released plan to get there,
titled “Forward with Purpose,” can be
viewed here.
Paralympic Sport in Canada is at a critical
juncture. The CPC has witnessed a rapid
social acceleration in the appreciation of,
and appetite for, Paralympic sport— more
rapid than anyone could have predicted
even a few short years ago.

www.sirc.ca

“

This plan to win is a focus on the podium – a focus on high performance.
If the Everest for our athletes – the highest peak they can summit – is a gold medal at
the Paralympic Games, then the CPC is the “Sherpa” for the final ascent.

There is a growing sense of excitement
and Canadians feel more connected
to our athletes than ever, drawn to
their inspiring stories and amazing
athleticism, to their drive and their
passion. Awareness of Paralympic sport,
the Canadian Paralympic Team and the
Paralympic brand is flourishing in Canada
amongst sport partners, corporate
leaders, educators, youth, parents, fans,
and in the media. At the same time, the
Paralympic story has shifted dramatically
to one that focuses more on athletic
achievement: our athletes’ stories are
now reported in the sports pages, rather
than in the lifestyle section.
This exploding interest has raised
the level and stakes of Paralympic
competition to new heights. Just as it
is becoming ever more difficult to win a
Paralympic gold medal, the need to very
clearly define priorities and determine the
best way forward is vital.
What do we aspire to achieve? What
are our priority sports? And what key
advantages will characterize a world-class
Paralympic sport system in Canada?
Working closely with our members, our
performance partners, our board and
staff, we generated answers to these
questions. To secure our country’s
place as the world’s leading Paralympic
nation by 2022, we must be: clear in our
aspirations; focused in our plan to win;
nimble in adapting to an ever-changing
landscape; and leaders in mobilizing and
supporting our members and partners.
This plan to win is a focus on the podium
– a focus on high performance.
If the Everest for our athletes – the
highest peak they can summit – is a gold
medal at the Paralympic Games, then the
CPC is the “Sherpa” for the final ascent.
We are working closely with member
organizations, our performance partners
and the broader sport community to
identify the next generation of Paralympic
athletes and coaches. We are mapping
out a clear path to the summit, removing
www.sirc.ca

”

roadblocks and distractions along the way,
and leading the country in celebrating our
athletes’ achievements.
This strategy is now front and center in
our daily work and has become a source
of motivation to all committed to achieving
our ascent.
Looking towards 2022, our priorities
focus on developing a system delivering
consistent podium results and increasing
our medal count at the Games through
strategic performance partnerships and
collaboration with our sports. We need to
invest in the right projects and sports in
order to achieve this. We will:

• PRIORITIZE PARALYMPIC
TEAMS PREPARATION and

familiarization as well as focus on
Paralympic Games service delivery
and enhancements to maximize our
chances for podium performances
at the Games;

• SUPPORT OUR MEMBER
SPORTS WITH INITIATIVES
AROUND TARGETED
RECRUITMENT to increase the

overall athlete pool, especially in
sports where we can increase our
medal count;

• SUPPORT COACHING
OPPORTUNITIES to ensure

appropriate support to athletes
through the pathway to high
performance, as well as optimal
daily training environments for
podium potential athletes and the
next generation of athletes;

• FOCUS ON DEVELOPING AND
ALIGNING THE OVERALL
PARALYMPIC SYSTEM within
Canada through targeted
developmental activities to fill the
podium pipeline for the future.

Our goal to make Canada the world’s leading
Paralympic nation by 2022 is not going to be easy
to reach, but with our members and partners
standing strong beside us, it can be achieved
through hard work, focus and determination.
Parasport has come a long way since Canada
hosted the Torontolympiad in 1976, and there is
still much work to be done. Our strategic plan will
take the Canadian Paralympic movement boldly
and purposefully in to the future – a future we
believe all Canadians will be proud of.
I invite all in the sport community to review this
exciting plan and to reflect on your potential role,
involvement or contribution – if not already –
towards this world-leading journey for Canada. ∆
For more information:
paralympic.ca
@CDNParalympics

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The Effects of a Seven
Day Heat Acclimation Protocol on
Plasma Volume and Hemoglobin
Mass in Female Rugby Players
A Pilot Study:

• Previous studies have found increased blood plasma
volume (PV) with 7-days of heat acclimation (HA), which
improves performance (VO2max) by increased cardiac
output and increased ability to dissipate heat.
• This study undertook a seven day heat acclimation
protocol (90 min per day at 35◦C degrees with 1.5-2.0%
dehydration), which significantly increased PV of elite
female rugby players by 5.7% (p=0.014).
• Over the seven days, hemoglobin mass (Hbmass;
measured via CO-rebreathe) concurrently decreased by
-3.4% (p=0 .011). These Hbmass results should be viewed
with caution and warrant further research, as there was
no control group and these elite field sport athletes were
in the middle of a hard training camp, which may have
also compromised Hbmass.

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Wendy Pethick is a Physiologist and
Manager of the Canadian Sport Institute’s
Performance Lab in Victoria. In addition
to testing athletes and members of the
RCMP, Canadian Coast Guard and the
BC Forestry Service (BCFS) she has
been involved in Wellness projects for
the RCMP and BCFS and has extensive
teaching experience in the areas of Human Physiology,
Exercise Physiology, Measurement & Evaluation, and Exercise
Prescription. A graduate of the University of Victoria (BSc.
Human Performance, M.A. Exercise Physiology) Wendy
worked as the Coordinator of the University of Victoria Sport
and Fitness Centre organizing and conducting physiological
testing and research for the Physical Education department.

www.sirc.ca

E

levated core temperatures initiate
several mechanisms designed to
dissipate heat including sweating
to cool skin via evaporation, and
dilation of peripheral skin blood vessels
which shunt heated blood from the core
to the skin for cooling. Both of these
mechanisms rely on the maintenance
of blood volume (BV). Maintaining BV
becomes very difficult in the heat because
of the additive effects of heat generated
from exercise combined with heat from
the environment 1,2. As a result, sweat rate
increases in a feed-forward mechanism,
resulting in a potentially greater loss of
body fluids which further compromises
BV. If too much fluid is lost due to high
sweat rates, cooling supersedes exercise,
decreasing work rate, with the potential
for complete shut-down (e.g. heat stroke).
HA is a process which elicits physiological
changes allowing an individual to deal
with heat stress more effectively. One of
the biggest adaptations is an increase
in BV (specifically the plasma (PV)),
with some studies showing a ~5 to 7%
increase in PV 3-5. There are generally
three benefits of increasing the circulating
PV: 1) less competition between cooling
and fueling exercising muscles; 2) more
fluids available for sweating resulting in
enhanced cooling capabilities; and 3)
better maintenance and/or increase of
cardiac output, and accordingly, ability
to achieve greater VO 2max values at
maximal exercise, which have shown
benefits in both warm and cool conditions
(especially important to high intensity
sports) 4.
Many athletes use the Canadian
Sport Institute Pacific (CSI Pacific)
Mobile Environmental Trainer (MET)
in preparation for competitions in hot
environments. Despite the consistency
of increase PV via HA, the optimal HA
protocol currently used by CSI Pacific
and others 3-5, has yet to be completely
characterized. Therefore the primary aim
of this pilot investigation was to assess
PV after a 7-day HA protocol using COrebreathe technique to monitor changes
in PV and hemoglobin mass (Hbmass).
It was hypothesized that PV would
significantly increase as a result of the
7-day HA protocol without any significant
group changes to Hbmass.

www.sirc.ca

Methods:
Nine elite female rugby players (Table 1)
completed the 7-day HA intervention
and all the pre-and post-intervention
testing at CSI Pacific (November, 2012).
Core temperature pills were used on
day 1 and 2 to ensure that the training
loads elicited the core temperature
target of 38.5 ◦C, but did not exceed the
limit of 39.5 ◦C (hyperthermia controlled
workloads). Heart rate (HR) was recorded
every five minutes throughout each
session. Individual HRs were used for
the remaining five days to determine
work intensity for optimal heat stress and
safety for each athlete. Athletes cycled
on spin bikes for a total of 90 minutes

broken down into 10 minutes of warmup, 20 minutes of 10 x 1:1 high intensity
intervals (to increase core temperature
(Tc) rapidly), followed by 60 minutes of
steady state (SS) regulated by target
HR’s to maintain an elevated Tc. Sweat
rate (SR) (pre and post body weight (BW)
& fluid weight) was calculated for each
session.
The optimized CO-rebreathing protocol,
as previously outlined by Schmidt &
Prommer 6, was used to determine BV, PV
and Hbmass immediately pre and post the
7-days of HA from venous blood draws.

Figure 1. A comparison of average fluid intake, average sweat rate and urine specific gravity (USG) over the 7-day HA.

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HP SIRCuit FALL 2014

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Results:
Athletes were generally either hydrated to mildly dehydrated throughout the intervention
(USG of 1.012-1.016; Figure 1). Mean sweat rates were consistent over the seven days
(~0.9-1.19 L/hr; Figure 1). On days one and two the athletes were able to drink ad libitum
(~1.7L/session; Figure 1) resulting in ~0.09% increase in BW; Figure 2). On subsequent days
(3-7), fluid intake was limited to elicit mild dehydration (~1.3% BW loss; Figure 2).

PV increased for all athletes ranging from 1.3% to
12.9% with the exception of one athlete (PV -5.8%
(Figure 3), resulting in a significant 5.7±5.7% increase
in PV (p=0.014). Eight of the nine athletes showed a
decrease in Hbmass ranging from -1.3% to -9.5%,
resulting in a significant -3.4±3.7% decrease (p
=0.011; Figure 4).
There was no relationship found between the level of
dehydration and PV expansion (r=-0.035, p=0.464).
There was a weak, positive relationship between Tc
and PV expansion, (r=0.405, p=0.097). The change in
Tc and PV expansion resulted in a weak relationship
(r=0.549, p=0.063). There was a non-significant
relationship between % weight loss and the decrease in
Hbmass (r=-0.285, p=0.458,) as well as Tc and Hbmass
(r=0.142, p=0.7137), suggesting that the decrease in
Hbmass is not related to the level of dehydration or Tc
changes.
Discussion

Figure 2. A comparison of pre and post HA session body weight and % weight loss over the 7-day HA.

The purpose of this pilot investigation was to determine
the effect of a 7-day HA protocol on PV expansion and
Hbmass in nine elite team sport female athletes. All
athletes, except one, responded favorably to the HA
for PV expansion (+5.7±5.7%; p=0.014; Figure 3).
Hbmass significantly decreased (-3.4±3.7%; p=0.011;
Figure 4) post HA. These Hbmass results should be
viewed with caution as limitations of this study include
the absence of a control group and these elite field
sport athletes were in themiddle of a hard training
camp, which alone, may have compromised Hbmass.
To that end, follow-up controlled studies are needed to
confirm the result of decreased Hbmass.
Sweat rates, fluid intake rates and PV expansion
throughout the 7-day HA camp

Figure 3. Individual variation in percent change of PV after the 7-day HA.

Figure 4. Individual variation in percent change of PV after the 7-day HA.

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It has been shown that 2-3% body mass loss, due
to heat-induced dehydration, augments increases in
PV3. However, on days 1 and 2 athletes were able
to drink ad libitum resulting in a ~0.3% BW increase
(Figure 1&2), so on subsequent days fluid intake was
limited (0.5-0.7L/session) to elicit mild dehydration
during the HA sessions (~1.2% BW loss; Figures 1&2).
On the group level, there was no relationship between
the level of dehydration and PV expansion (r=-0.035,
p=0.464). However, to our knowledge, no study has
clearly elucidated whether there is a dose-response
between %BW loss and PV expansion, which should
be examined with further research. Sweat rates and
USG were monitored to determine individual fluid
recommendations between HA sessions to ensure
the athletes did not end up chronically dehydrated,
which appeared successful in maintaining hydration
status of the athletes (Figure 1).
Dehydration and the consequent competition for body
fluids to support exercise, as well as to cool the body, is
an acute response to exercise in the heat. Increased PV,
provides a greater circulating volume of blood for heat
www.sirc.ca

to this study and large increase in volume of continuous
aerobic exercise required to induce the HA. However,
these results should be viewed with caution, as we did
not implement a control training only group and these elite
field sport athletes were in the middle of a hard training
camp, which alone, may have compromised Hbmass.
Furthermore, this result of decreased Hbmass needs to
be confirmed in follow-up studies (Note: in a follow-up
study in female soccer players undertaking 5 days of HA
we, indeed, did not find any change in Hbmass). ∆

dissipation3-5. The 7-day HA protocol was successful
in increasing PV by 5.7±5.7% increase (p=-0.02;
range of -5.8-12.9%; Figure 3), which is in line with
previous HA studies4,5.
The mechanism(s) underlying adaptations to HA (PV
expansion and increased sudomotor function) have
yet to be clearly defined, but level of dehydration and
a criticial core temperature (Tc) have been suggested
as possible drivers of the overall response. No
relationship was found between average % BW loss
and PV expansion. However, three of the biggest
PV expansion responders were on the high end of
% BW loss, suggesting that dehydration could be a
contributing factor in PV expansion.
The expansion of PV may also be influenced by
hormonal input brought on in the heat, specifically
the action of aldosterone and arginine vasopressin
(AVP). Repeated elevations in renin and AVP
activity may develop chronic enhancement of water
retention within the vasculature and other tissue7,8,9.
The impact of Tc was also investigated, and the
data clearly demonstrates that with the exception of
1 athlete, the biggest responses in PV (greater than
5% increase) were seen when Tc was maintained
at 38.3oC or higher. Although this relationship is not
significant, it supports the findings of 38.5oC as a
critical Tc for the hyperthermia controlled HA protocols
cited in the literature3,11,12. The individual variability of
PV expansion, as well as the positive HA responses
for some at temperatures below the critical target
of 38.5oC (38.2-38.4oC), suggest that maybe it is
the change in Tc from baseline which facilitates PV
expansion. Interestingly, the outlier athlete that had
the smallest average increase in Tc (0.5oC) was the
same athlete whose PV decreased. Additionally, with
the exception of 1 athlete, the greatest increases
in PV were seen with Tc increases of greater than
1.0oC from baseline. However, caution needs to be
taken with this, as we only undertook Tc monitoring
on days 1 and 2. Utilizing the change in Tc may
be a more useful approach for those athletes who
are unable to exercise at workloads high enough to
reach and/or sustain a target of 38.5oC. Anecdotally,
www.sirc.ca

there are some very lean female athletes who can
reach target Tc through intervals, but find it difficult
to maintain during the 60 minutes of steady state
work. For these athletes maybe setting the target
as a change in Tc of 1.0oC or greater may elicit the
desired adaptive response, without subjecting them to
undo fatigue of having to maintain high SS workloads.
However, the dose-response relationships between
core temperature and PV expansion remain to be
elucidated.
Potential impact of heat-acclimation on Hbmass
There is very little research on the effect of HA on
Hbmass, with this study being only the second to look
at the interaction between HA and Hbmass. In 1997,
Gore et al.13 reported no significant impact on Hbmass
as a result of HA (rowers undertaking four weeks of
training (70-90min/day) at subtropical location).
Contrary to those findings, this study demonstrated
that Hbmass decreased -3.4% (P=0.011) for eight of
the nine athletes (range of -1.3 to -9.5%; Figure 4). PV
expansion has the potential to decrease hemoglobin
(g/dL) as it is a measure of gram per volume of fluid.
However, Hbmass is measured and calculated as an
absolute value (total grams of hemoglobin), and thus
is not impacted by fluid levels or by an increase of PV.
It should be noted, that the small -3.4% decrease in
Hbmass theoretically corresponds to a very small
decline of 2.2% for VO2max14. Potential reasons
for the finding of decreased Hbmass in these elite
female athletes may include menstrual cycle blood
losses or foot strike hemolysis. Menstrual blood
losses were not measured during this study, however
normal menstrual blood loss volumes of 10-80 ml
and average of 35ml would only impact total Hbmass
measurement by 5g15, well within the technical error of
measurement for our lab. The acute destruction of red
blood cells has been widely demonstrated following
running exercise and is commonly referred to as foot
strike hemolysis16,17. Impact, foot strike or circulatory
hemolysis could be implicated in the reduction of
Hbmass observed in this study due to training external
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n June 26th 2014, the Canadian
Sport Institute Calgary officially
opened the doors to its new
state of the art facility at Canada
Olympic Park. The 34,000 square foot
space is the first and only multi-sport
training facility in Canada dedicated to
high performance sports.
Twelve years ago, former WinSport CEO
John Mills introduced the concept of
building an “Athletic and Ice Complex” after
Calgary lost the domestic bid to host the
2010 Olympic Winter Games. His vision to
have all roads to the podium lead through
southern Alberta finally came to life this
year, when WinSport finished building the
last phase of the $220M complex.
The new Canadian Sport Institute Calgary
location features a 19,000 square foot
strength and conditioning area with a
biomechanics lab and a strength and
power lab; an exercise physiology lab;
mental performance and nutritional
service capabilities; an athlete lounge;
a regeneration room; and access to the
WinSport Medicine Clinic.
With more than a dozen resident sports
now actively training in the new facility,
the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary has
truly been able to deliver world leading
and centralized services using the latest
technology, equipment and expertise.

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Prior to the 2014 Commonwealth Games,
Wrestling Canada held a 3-day camp, with
36 national team wrestlers, that included a
variety of strength and physiology testing
(FMS, anthropometry, rhiet, yo-yo, vertical
jump, agility) and a number of lectures
on nutrition, psychology, recovery and
regeneration and self marketing. A few
weeks later, wrestling owned the podium in
Glasgow Commonwealth Games, winning
12 medals for Canada.
Still fresh off their Olympic gold medal in
Sochi, the women’s hockey team has not
wasted any time to get back into testing
and training mode and prepare to defend
their title in South Korea. The Canadian
Sport Institute Calgary has a long-standing
relationship with Hockey Canada and has
provided an array of services.

in the next generation of Olympians and
Paralympians. Agreements with sports
such as Alpine has helped development
athletes experience elite training alongside
national team members. In addition, this
has allowed them the unique opportunity
to attend life services workshops and
learn about topics such as social media,
public speaking and combining sport and
education.
The Canadian Sport Institute Calgary
continues to have a very successful model
and approach to elevating performance.

More recently, the Canadian Sport
Institute Calgary experts conducted fitness
testing and anthropometry measurements
on close to 100 women’s U18 and
development players – a crucial first step
in the beginning of the selection process
leading into the quadrennial for the 2018
Olympic Winter Games.
The Canadian Sport Institute Calgary also
recognizes the importance of investing

(Strength Area): The strength and conditioning area includes more than
track (track and field surface used at World Championships and Olymp

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www.sirc.ca

(Regeneration): Athletes can recuperate from training by using the
regeneration room that include a hot and a cold tub as well as four recovery
rooms for massages and regeneration.

The foundation of success begins with
the team of 58 experts that powers
the organization. The team creates a
performance environment designed
to meet the primary needs of high
performance athletes and coaches.
With the knowledge and the infrastructures
available in Alberta, the Canadian Sport
Institute Calgary is now faced with the
worthy challenge of elevating performance
standards in Canada and creating new
Olympic and Paralympic history. â&#x2C6;&#x2020;
For more information:
www.csicalgary.ca
@CSICalgary

n 20,000 pounds of weights and equipment, and indoor MONDO 100m
pic Games) and an IM lifting platform (one of only three in the world).

www.sirc.ca

(Power Lab): The power lab allows strength experts to do advance testing and analysis of muscle function using
portable force plates, force handles, movement analysis system and an EMG muscle measurement system.

(HPLab): Canadian Sport Institute Calgary experts collect and interpret the most advanced data including measurement
of breath-to-breath oxygen consumption; measurement of EKG during exercise; measurement of heart rate response
while training; and analysis of key biomechanical markers used to evaluate the effectiveness of training.

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IMPROVING HOW WE
THINK ABOUT TALENT:
Step 1, stop talking
about talent
Nick Wattie , PhD - University of Ontario Institute of Technology
and Joseph Baker, PhD - York University

KEY POINTS:
• Discussions of ‘talent’ have taken on increasing significance in sport.
• How people view the origins of ‘talent’ can have a significant impact
on athlete development.
• Simple dichotomies are insufficient to explain the complexity of
athlete development.

T

erms such as ‘talent identification’ and ‘talent development’ have taken on
increasing relevance in discussions of athlete development. Is it time for a
shift away from the word ‘talent’? ‘What possible harm or difference can a
word make’, you might ask. In this short article, we’re going to argue that
the words we use are important.

“ words are the tools with which we work…Everything depends
on our understanding of them. ” (Franfurter, 1964).
Being concerned about how people use
and understand words is not simply an
issue of semantics. In the case of ‘talent’,
researchers have shown that people
generally fall into two camps: implicit
theorists and incremental theorists. These
two ‘ways of thinking’ essentially describe
Nature vs. Nurture beliefs; the belief that
an individual’s characteristics and potential
are innate/unchangeable or the product of
experiences/changeable. Both perspectives
can be damaging.
People who view athletic ability as
predominantly innate usually see ‘talent’ as
a gift or an endowment existing from birth.
Such beliefs are reinforced by our use of the
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HP SIRCuit Fall 2014

term ‘talent identification’. Research from
motivation studies indicates that we have
to be more careful about the labels and
expectation we place on youth, including
labelling a youth athlete as talented. For
example, labelling high performance youth
athletes as talented can attach an expectation
that the athlete will be successful at later
stages in the athlete development pathway
because their ‘talent’ is innate (natural).
These expectations may be damaging to
youth athletes, particularly given that it has
been established that success at one level
of sport does automatically lead to success
at the next, higher, level of sport (see for
instance, Barreiros and Fonseca’s study of
the relationship between junior and senior
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levels of competitive success in Portuguese
elite athletes published in the International
Journal of Sport Science and Coaching).
Hard work and high quality training are
obviously important to becoming a high
performance athlete.
On the other hand, viewing talent as
predominantly developable (nurture) can
be equally problematic. In recent years the
popularized notion that expertise can be
accomplished through a sufficient amount
of deliberate practice (the colloquial 10,000
hour rule) has taken root among coaches and
parents. To those who believe this notion,
the term ‘talent development’ can imply that
all athletes have equal amounts of talent to
be developed, despite some inter-individual
differences. The problem is that those who
ascribe to this belief may also place unfair
expectations on athletes. Furthermore,
while this notion may have some appeal,
sport is not a meritocracy and the evidence
is clear that not all people have the same
potential develop into high performance
athletes (whether for reasons of probability
www.sirc.ca

or propensity). Practice is clearly necessary,
but it may not be sufficient: genes, resources
and luck are also important.
Both perspectives highlight the problems
of seeing something as complex as sport
performance as a simple dichotomy. Talent –
if we loosely define it as an innate capacity
for future success – may exist, but at the
moment we do not know how to measure it
or what it looks like. Genetic tests are far less
valid than their marketing suggests. However,
two things seem certain: first, no one gets to
the highest levels of performance without
working for it and second, practice alone is
not enough to account for success in sport
(see for example, the recent meta-analysis by
Brooke Macnamara and colleagues published
recently in Psychological Science). Nothing
in human behaviour is ever as simple as “it’s
all due to X” and thinking it is can constrain
the way athletes and coaches think about
potential. While genes undoubtedly have a
role (although how big a role is unknown and
likely sport and task specific) the ‘big players’
in maximizing an athlete’s potential for sport
success include access to high quality
coaching and necessary resources, optimal
developmental environments, support from
family and friends, and perhaps most of all,
a long-term commitment to training on the
part of the athlete. Such is the complexity of
high performance sport -- no room for simple
dichotomies. ∆
www.sirc.ca

Nick Wattie, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of
Kinesiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at
the University of Ontario Institute of Technology,
Canada. His research focuses on psychosocial and
environmental constraints on sport participation
and sport expertise, as well as the psychosocial
and physical health outcomes associated with sport
participation.

Joe Baker, PhD, is an Associate Professor and head
of the Lifespan Health and Performance Laboratory in
the School of Kinesiology and Health Science, at York
University, Canada. His research considers the varying
influences on optimal human development, ranging from
issues affecting athlete development and skill acquisition
to barriers and facilitators of successful aging.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE

Talent Identification and Development in Sports with York
University’s Joe Baker. Podcast from SportsCoachRadio.com.
Listen in as Dr. Baker discusses the theory around talent identification and
the development of young athletes, based upon his book on the subject.

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HP SIRCuit FALL 2014

13

ROBIN MCKEEVER An Insight into

Para-Nordic Olympic Preparation

I

n this video interview with Own the Podium, Robin McKeever, Head
Coach of the Canadian Para-Nordic Ski Team shares his perspectives
on how the incorporation of an Integrated Support Team (IST) has
improved the training programs for his athletes. By creating more focus
on training strategies and allowing for efficiencies both in individualized
training design and the cost of training, ISTs have had a significant impact
on how the Para-Nordic program has evolved.

HERE WE SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS:
According to McKeever, the key to developing training strategies lies in recognizing
the needs of the individual athletes and integrating the athlete’s contribution into their
training program and the Para-Nordic program as a whole. In the case of the Para-Nordic
team, each athlete has a different classification and a different level, and are therefore
completely variable as to their needs from day to day, but these are integrated into the
daily training environments.

1

One of the changes that is considered
a critical success factor in the team’s
performance, is the addition of a sport
psychologist. The impact was felt in two
areas:
• Introduction of a psychology base for
sport-specific performance
• Team building team atmosphere

“Along with accountability and professionalism, comes a huge support
network behind us that we are, as coach or as people working with the
program, become accountable to and that is our IST. It is without a doubt … “Some of the particulars that worked for
me coming in to Sochi was working with
critical to the success of the Para-Nordic team.” Robin McKeever, Head Coach
The Para-Nordic program has incorporated some drastic changes over the last four years
to focus on building the achievements of the team. In this video, there are three areas
where Robin McKeever credits the IST with having significant impact on achieving high
performance success.

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John Coleman our psychologist. With my
specialty in biathlon there is a lot of mental
side to shooting. Believing that you can
hit that shot, knowing that you can hit that
shot and then actually doing it. There is a
lot of mental thought and pressure within
the shot or bout of shooting and John has
been a huge help for me to nail that and
be at my best at World Cups but also at
the Games themselves.” Mark Arendz,
Biathlon and Nordic Skiing

www.sirc.ca

Watch the Full Video Interview

2

A second change was an emphasis on
technology and physiological testing
that allows for the monitoring of athletes’
states in order to adapt training and
competition strategies according to the
daily physiological status of the athlete.
This can happen with the equipment and
training facilities at home, but through
technology, can also be carried out
when on the road at training camps and
competitions and communicating back to
the ISTs at home. Monitoring baselines
and adaptations is an invaluable training
tool.
“The IST support that Own the Podium
has given us has been instrumental in the
success of the whole team. For me, some
of the biggest [impact] has been in the
exercise physiology department … I think
it is fantastic because to me when I hit
the start line I know I am as prepared as
I possibly could be and that kind of takes
care of the psychology as well because
I’m 100% confident in the program that
[the exercise physiology team] has come
up with.” Brian McKeever, Cross-Country
Skiing

www.sirc.ca

3

The third change involves an
increasing training component around
strength and conditioning. Being able to
take advantage of the increased knowledge
in the area of strength and conditioning for
cross-country skiing specifically has made
a huge impact.
Robin identifies changes that he sees
coming moving into the next quadrennial
preparing for the Pyeong Chang Winter
Olympic Games. Two of these include:

For the Para-Nordic Team, working with
ISTs allows for the professionalized
approach to training in their sport.
Having access to the specialized skills as
provided through the ISTs provides unique
opportunities to individualize strategies
and get sport-specific insight for both
high performance athletes and those in
development. All of which is critical to the
team’s success. ∆

i. Greater individualization of training.
Dealing with more mature athletes
means not needing to focus on day
to day training, they know what they
are doing, but rather creating the
program and environment within
which they can concentrate solely
and specifically on what they need
to succeed. With younger athletes
Robin is more involved with their daily
training and influencing their choices
to teach them how to be professionals
at what they do.
ii. Increased focus on refinement rather
than large changes. Specifically the
structure around training recovery and
health, looking for support through the
IST in massage, physiotherapy and
osteopathy.

BACKGROUND
Brian McKeever at the age of 19 was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, which also afflicted his father and is the
most common form of juvenile macular degeneration. He started skiing at the age of 3 and began competing at the
age of 12. Before being diagnosed with Stargardtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease, he had the opportunity to compete for Canada at Junior
World Championships in Pontresina, Switzerland.
Brian was introduced to blind Para-Nordic skiing by Kaspar Wirz, a coach on the Canadian Para-Nordic program.
He has competed at 4 Paralympic games winning 10 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. He was
the first athlete to be named to an Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games team during the Vancouver 2010 games.
In his first three Paralympic games, his brother Robin McKeever guided him. In 2012-13 he teamed up with a new
guide, Eric Carleton, as his brother had become his coach and the head coach of the Canadian Para-Nordic program.
After the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games, Brian became the most decorated winter Paralympian in Canadian history. Full biography

BACKGROUND - ROBIN MCKEEVER
Robin McKeever is the head coach of the Canadian Para-Nordic skiing team. He was also an 11 time Canadian cross-country champion
who competed at the 1998 Olympic Winter games in Nagano. In 2001, he began guiding his brother Brian McKeever and officially became
his guide at the Salt Lake IPC World Cup final.
While guiding his brother Brian, the two won 7 gold, 2 silver and two bronze medals during the Salt Lake City, Torino and Vancouver Winter
Paralympic Games. They also won numerous World championships and World Cups together.
Following the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, Robin was named as the head coach of the Para-Nordic team. He is now coaching his
brother Brian McKeever. Full biography
www.sirc.ca

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HP SIRCuit FALL 2014

17

Whole-Body Vibration
in the Sport Context:
A commentary on the
literature
Nancy Rebel, MLIS

Director of Content Development, SIRC

I

n the athletic context, whole-body vibration refers to intentional vibration applied
to the body in the training or recovery phase to elicit involuntary eccentric
muscle contractions. “Whole-body vibration training involves an individual
standing, sitting or laying on a vibrating platform performing static or dynamic
exercise at various frequencies” 4.

Vibration is considered any motion that
repeats itself after a given period of
time. Vibrations can either be random
or pre-determined, and are measured
by frequency and amplitude. Frequency
is the number of cycles per unit time
and is typically measured in hertz (Hz).
Amplitude is the half difference between
the maximum and minimum value of the
period oscillation4. It is suggested that to
activate the muscles the most effectively,
the vibration frequency should be between
30 to 50 Hz. For highly trained athletes,
because of their advanced training status
and neuromuscular adaptations, the lower
range of whole-body vibration stimulus
may not produce meaningful benefits.
Rønnestad puts forward that trained
athletes should aim for training frequencies
at the 50Hz level to see effective results,
however, any higher than this and muscle
fatigue may cause an adverse effect9.
Here we will take a look at what the
research says about the application of
whole-body vibration (WBV) for high
performance athletes in the areas of
power, strength, and postural control, and
as a recovery tool.

Power
Overall the research in this area clearly
suggests that whole-body vibration
is effective for long-term increases in
power development for athletes. The first
observation to be made is that the use of
vertical vibration platforms show better
changes in power development than
oscillating platforms for long-term benefits 6.
Acute benefits showed no positive impact
for either type of platform and many claim
the need for more research into this. The
following parameters were described as
impacting factors in the use of whole-body
vibration for power development:
• There is no significant difference
between genders in chronic power
adaptations6.
• Age is a moderating factor in WBV.
Benefits to power were seen most
significantly under age 25.
• Following most strength and power
training principles, periodization and
progression training are recommended
for power adaptation to fully benefit
from the training modality.
• Mean training frequencies of 35-40Hz
were most effective.

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• While more research is needed on
higher amplitudes, long-term power
development is most effective in
amplitudes between 8-10mmp-p. It is
noted however that larger body mass
can dampen vibration amplitude and
must be taken into consideration.
• Total time of WBV training per session
is observed to be optimal at the 360720 second range, however, more data
is suggested in order to fully understand
workout sets and total volume.
Strength
Much along the same lines as for power
adaptations, research has been looking
into the use of WBV training in terms
of strength development. Much of the
Research is still inconclusive or showing
inconsistencies due to differing study
methodologies. Some observations are
being suggested that support the use of
whole-body vibration as a complement to
strength training. Studies do show that
whole-body vibration should not be used
as a replacement for regular strength
training workouts7. And similar to the
conclusion drawn for power adaptations,
strength adaptations are seen more in
the long-term than as an acute effect.
Further studies are suggested before
recommending specific training protocols.

www.sirc.ca

Studies suggest that use of whole-body
vibration after training aids in the prevention
of muscle pain post-training for a variety of
reasons including:
• Stimulating skeletal blood flow 5
• Increasing metabolic waste disposal 2
• Inhibiting pain sensory receptors 8
Using whole-body vibration training
before a workout may also help in the
reduction of muscle damage. The theory
is that by preactivating muscle systems,
myofibrillar stress during repeated muscle
contractions is reduced. This is evidenced
by decreasing plasma creatine kinase
levels post-exercise1. Further research
needs to be done on the timing pre- and
post-exercise to fully understand the most
effective application for recovery benefits.
Also acute evidence versus long-term
benefits still need to be further studied.
Postural Control
Postural control and proprioception are
important factors in injury prevention.
Whole-body vibration training is being
considered as a potential tool for increasing
the effectiveness of training in this area.
Early studies suggest positive effects postWBV training showing an improvement in
balance and neuromuscular control after
the protocol. Initial findings “suggest that
WBV could be a good tool to improve
the proprioceptive system”3. There are
however disagreeing studies, so more
research in this area is required.
Recovery
The human body is built to adapt to a
variety of stimulus. Once a system adapts,
it can “relax” into that new phase and start
to plateau. In order for improvements in
performance to occur the body needs to
be given unaccustomed movements or
intensities in order to challenge its systems.
When these unaccustomed movements
or intensities are introduced into training,
especially eccentric contractions, muscle
damage can occur. This is a common
process in training principles such
as overload, variety, periodization or
increased volume (frequency, duration).
Many athletes, coaches and trainers are
now exploring whole-body vibration in an
effort to aid in muscle recovery and the
reduction/prevention of muscle soreness
and damage.
www.sirc.ca

Conclusion
The research is still underway to fully
understand the benefits and effectiveness
of whole-body vibration applications. More
is understood and agreed upon in the area
of the long-term benefits of WBV, while
acute adaptations still struggle to find
consensus. On the whole, researchers
admit that there are many variables that
have to be tested when studying the effects
of whole-body vibration training protocols
in order for consistency of findings to be
declared. However, as with any training
modality, what is known shows that if used
to improve the effectiveness of training,
whole-body vibration training should be a
progressive load, and include a change in
training frequency, volume and intensity so
as to increase the possibility of adaptation. ∆

Reviewed by
Eugene Liang
In line with Ferraro’s article
in the Winter 2014 issue
of SIRCuit that highlighted
the current evidence and
training recommendations for pregnancy
and athletes, Bø and colleagues tackle a
debated issue in pregnancy health. Pelvic
floor strengthening exercises is a common
prescription for prenatal health by health
and fitness professionals. From Kegel to
Pilates, some would argue that pelvic floor
strengthening has become a movement in
the perinatal health and fitness industry.
However, there has been recent discussion
and debate of the relationship between
pelvic floor strength and increased rates of
operative delivery or perineal tears. Recent
literature has been limited by the objective
measure of pelvic floor strength. The authors
of the article address this issue by assessing
pelvic floor function as three objective
measures (vaginal resting pressure, pelvic
floor strength and pelvic floor endurance)
and comparing them to delivery outcomes.

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HP SIRCuit Fall 2014

New Books @ SIRC
SIRC, in collaboration with Human Kinetics, features four books of interest to high
performance sport.

Reviewed by
Leo Thornley
Kilen and colleagues looked
at substituting some volume
training for high intensity
interval training (HIT) in forty
one senior national level Danish swimmers. The
athletes had at least 5 years of 8-16hrs/week of
training, with an average weekly volume of 2060km and competed primarily in the 50-200m
distance events. The training period was 12
weeks long and the HIT group did twice the high
intensity work and half (17km) the volume of the
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control group (35km/wk). After the 12 weeks
there was no difference in 100m performance
time or physiological capacity between the two
groups.
This was done mid-season and shows that
highly trained swimmers who were used to HIT
training gained no additional benefit from this
type of training at this point in the season. It also
showed that there was no detriment (in 100m
time) to drastically cutting the volume. ∆
Neuromuscular response differences to
power vs strength back squat exercise in
elite athletes.
Brandon, R., Howatson, G., Strachan, F. and Hunter, A.
M. (2014), Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in
Sports. [EPub ahead of print]

Reviewed by
Matt Jordan
In order to elicit optimal
neuromuscular adaptations in
the elite athlete, strength and
power training is performed
using a range of loads. Heavier loads emphasize
the development of maximal strength whereas
lighter loads lifted explosively may improve rate
of force development and mechanical muscle
www.sirc.ca

power to a greater extent. Despite the common
practice of including heavy and light loads for
improve muscle function very little is known
about the acute effects of these different loading
conditions on neuromuscular fatigue in elite
athletes. To address this gap, this study evaluated
the acute effects of heavy, moderate and light
explosive back squat exercise on neuromuscular
and mechanical muscle function in elite sprint
athletes. Subjects performed baseline testing
followed by 5 sets of 5 repetitions of back squat
exercise with either a heavy, moderate or light
load. Muscle measurements were obtained.
Subjects then performed a second bound of
5 sets of 5 repetitions, which was followed by
post-exercise measurements. Measurements
included the central activation ratio, evoked twitch
force, voluntary contractions of isometric knee
extension and the vertical jump. The authors
observed a differential neuromuscular response
following back squat exercise using the three
different loading conditions that suggests the light
explosive loading elicited the least neuromuscular
fatigue whereas the heavy explosive loading
caused the most. However, the light explosive
loading condition did not significantly increase
neuromuscular recruitment during the training
set. The authors suggest that the moderate
loading condition may provide an optimal balance
between neuromuscular recruitment and fatigue in
the elite sprint athlete. ∆
Mental Toughness in Sport: Motivational
Antecedents and Associations with
Performance and Psychological Health.
McCann S. Soccer Journal. July 2008;53(4):36-38.

Reviewed by
Judy Goss
The literature has taken
particular interest in mental
toughness over the last
decade. Mental toughness
is certainly a quality that athletes and coaches
see as not only desirable but essential to high
performance. Researchers have taken several
different approaches to mental toughness
describing it as: inherent and instinctive qualities
that some athletes have and others don’t, a
compilation of identifiable skills that can be
taught, trained and developed and a mishmash
of inherent and learn skills. Some researchers
have started to focus on the multidimensionality
of mental toughness as well as considering
motivational and environmental factors such as
coaching. This research examined the basic
psychological needs theory which theorizes that
www.sirc.ca

to optimize human functioning it is contingent
on the degree to which individuals have 3
basic psychological needs satisfied: autonomy,
competence and relatedness. The research
found that psychological needs satisfaction is
positively related to mental toughness. It also
confirmed the hypothesis that coaches are
pivotal in the environment that fosters mental
toughness and that a coaching environment
that is autonomy supportive facilitates mental
toughness. This extends research that has
found that coaching environments that nurture
psychological needs is one way coaches
contribute to the development of mental
toughness. ∆
Considerations for protein intake in
managing weight loss in athletes.
Murphy CE, Hector AJ, & Phillips SM. European Journal of
Sport Science. 2014.

Reviewed by
Christine St. Clair
In this review Murphy
and colleagues highlight
some of the recent
literature supporting the
ingestion of higher protein
intakes in athletes to spare fat free mass
when energy intakes are restricted. The
authors recommend a target of 1.8-2.7g/
kg/day for athletes looking to achieve high
quality weight loss, coupled with a moderate
decrease in energy (-500kcal/day), and
resistance exercise. Recent studies have
demonstrated that subjects consuming
higher protein intakes in this range show
improvements in preserving fat free mass
and increasing body fat loss. However, it was
noted that this target should vary and depend
on the athlete’s body composition, personal
tolerance, and training regimen. In addition,
the broader nutrition goals should also be
taken into consideration.
The article also addresses the importance
of consuming higher quality protein sources
(eg. meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, etc),
consistent with research showing that
8-10g essential amino acids (20-25g of high
quality protein) can stimulate muscle protein
synthesis more effectively when consumed
evenly throughout the day (4-5 times) . In
addition, athletes should consume 0.25-0.3g/
kg of protein with a high leucine content (eg.
whey protein or skimmed milk) post-exercise
to further promote muscle synthesis.
Overall, Murphy and colleagues address

Reviewed
by Mathieu
Charbonneau
This opinion paper
targets the daily practice
of many stakeholders in
high performance sport.
It presents a general
summary of challenges and best practice regarding
the use and effect of feedback in sport practice. I
read it as a reminder for a more informed use
of feedback. As an example, they discuss realtime feedback effects on athletes’ learning and
performance.
The traditional gap between motor learning
knowledge and technology development for
biomechanical measurements is presented. After
data collection and analysis, the next paramount
step is to effectively feed athlete and coach with
key information to promote integration and positive
changes in performance.
A good feedback system is presented as a tool
to help an athlete to find stability in his own zone
of execution and outcome. The individual athlete
has to integrate which motion sequence is needed
to obtain reproducible success. Accordingly, the
message has to be managed depending on:
expertise level, type of skill (cyclical/discrete),
amount of intrinsic feedback available, objective of
training (learning/retention) and even more.
Feedback is mainly managed in terms of timing
(when, how often) and content (what). Variables for
feedback have to be: 1) the key variable related to
improved performance, 2) able to be adjusted by
the athlete and 3) measured accurately and reliably.
Also, feedback technology must be accurate and
relevant, appropriately timed and delivered, and
decipherable by the athlete.

Read
Learn
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The authors admit that scientific literature on
learning outcomes linked with feedback types is
still sparse at this point in time. It’s a call for more
specific research and integrated work! Sharing
methodologies and approaches between sport
science specialists will create a more efficient use
of data and feedback. ∆
HP SIRCuit FALL 2014

21

Recommended Readings
In our collaborative effort to bring you the latest research in high performance
sport, Own The Podiums has selected specific areas of interest to coaches and
trainers and SIRC has culled through our resources to provide access to recent
research published within these areas.